1. Field
One or more example embodiments relate to a developing device that develops an electrostatic latent image and thereby produces a visible toner image, and an image forming apparatus including the developing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium by emitting light, which is modulated to correspond to image information, toward a photosensitive body to form an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the photosensitive body, supplying toner to the electrostatic latent image to develop the electrostatic latent image into a visible toner image, and transferring and fusing the visible toner image onto the recording medium.
A developing device supplies the toner to the electrostatic latent image that is formed on the surface of the photosensitive body to develop the electrostatic latent image into the visible toner image. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes the developing device, which includes a developing agent. Toner that is supplied from a toner container to the developing device passes through a development roller and is supplied to the photosensitive body. In the developing device, the toner that is supplied from the toner container and toner that is stored in the developing device have to circulate and be sequentially used for a developing process. If the toner that is stored in the developing device does not smoothly circulate, new toner may not be effectively supplied into the developing device. Also, if toner in a specific region of the developing device is continuously pressed without circulating, stress applied to the toner is increased, thereby degrading physical properties of the toner and increasing a driving torque of the developing device. Also, toner packing that is a phenomenon where toner lumps are formed in the specific region of the developing device may occur.